GILBERT, Ariz.—Following day three at the 2015 Nike Tournament of Champions we offer up another “daily double” of players that not quite be on the high profile radar…yet.  Lisa Bodine and Kevin Lynch join me in profiling some promising talent leading into Tuesday’s finals.

Below are links to all of our coverage thus far.  Check back with Blue Star Media for complete championship day results for all six divisions as well as player performance profiles on many of the top tier players on hand here in the Valley of the Sun.

Day One Daily Double

http://www.bluestarmedia.org/index.php/component/k2/item/1464-nike-toc-dailey-double

Day Two “Stocking Stuffers”

http://www.bluestarmedia.org/index.php/component/k2/item/1465-nike-toc-stocking-stuffers-day-two

Day One “Stocking Stuffers”

http://www.bluestarmedia.org/index.php/component/k2/item/1463-nike-toc-stocking-stuffers

Day Two Daily Double – Team Take

http://www.bluestarmedia.org/index.php/component/k2/item/1466-nike-toc-daily-double-team-take

Nike TOC – Semifinal Focus

http://www.bluestarmedia.org/index.php/component/k2/item/1467-nike-toc-semifinal-focus

LISA BODINE

At 6-3 Hamilton High School’s (Ariz.) junior post Maya Banks was able to show her wide range of skills in a physical game against Sacramento High.  Banks is a player with the combination of size and athleticism who isn’t afraid to be physical.  She sprints the floor with her head up and her hands ready.  When her teammates were able to find her in transition she was able to finish at the rim effectively.  In terms of rebounding, Banks is as solid as they come.  She reads the ball coming off the glass well and secures it with both hands.  Banks was able to score off several offensive put backs because she keeps the ball high and explodes off two feet.  Defensively she was able to contest shots in the paint and her lateral agility allowed her to challenge mid-range shooters.

One of the most exciting players we saw in this year’s Anderson Division has been junior point guard Celine Quintino from Liberty High (NV).  Although her roster height is listed 5-8, she is actually closer to 5-5, but for what she lacks in size she makes up for with moxie.  Quintino is a confident floor general who can dictate where she wants to go on the court. Her handle is flashy without being over-the-top and the timing and execution of her passing is spot on.  Against Marist (Ill.) she used her hesitation dribble to get into the middle of the defense and create numerous scoring opportunities. Quintino and her Liberty squad have advanced to the Anderson Division championship game.

KEVIN LYNCH

Archbishop Wood has been traveling to the Nike TOC for a few years now and bring with them the old school Philadelphia Catholic League style of play. This year Wood has run into some tough teams and currently 1-2 on this trip. Coming off an emotional close loss to last year’s National Champion Neumann-Goretti from Philadelphia, the Vikings are still trying to find themselves. One player standing out thus far is 5-11 Katie May.  The 2018 wing does it all for the Warminster Pa. school.  May provides a perfect mix of inside/out play in Woods disciplined system.  Her stroke is smooth with range out to the three point territory.  She has a strong frame which allows her to take advantage of smaller players with an array of pull ups or post moves.  Defensively she plays good positional defense and is always ready in help side rotations.  Rebounding is a strength as she see and tracks the ball well and will box out with authority.  As she advances her game to the next level her ball handling against pressure and ability to consistently hit the three will be the key to where she might play in college. Her effort and leadership on the court certainly will make her an attractive recruit.

Andrea Aquino has showed marked improvement in both skills and strength since the summer playing with her club team, NIKE EYBL’s New Jersey Sparks.  Andrea is a freshman academically, but at age 17, is now a sophomore eligibility wise.  She is a native of Paraguay, coming to this country last year. She has shown the ability to rebound in traffic and her outlet passes are crisp and accurate.  She catches the ball on the move well and finishes with a fluid stroke.  Although she needs a bit move physical strength to become a dominating center, she has good hands and her footwork is decent .  Defensively she is an imposing 6-10 figure in Paterson-East’s (N.J.) 2-3 zone which they employ mostly when she is in the game.  Andrea needs to learn to move her feet  better and engage opponents a little earlier-getting her hands up  to take her shot blocking to the next level.  She gets up and down the court remarkably well for someone her size and once she puts it all together will be a force to be reckoned with.

MARK LEWIS

Junior swing player Sydney Boyer has led her Oaks Christian team into the John Anderson Division final Tuesday afternoon.  At 6-1 she’s an intriguing combination of size and skills that challenges defenders in multiple ways.  She can efficiently put it on the floor and get to the rim on both bigger and smaller defenders.  On penetration the ability is there to create her own shot or improve and deliver a sharp pass to a teammate.  Her lean build doesn’t limit her around the rim and her frame says good size will be coming down the line with the help of a collegiate strength program.  Boyer also demonstrated the ability to knock it down from the perimeter keeping close outs honest and allowing her to set up her individual attack.  She has the prototypical size and skill set coaches are searching coast to coast for.  The potential in place is promising.

Trinity (Ill.) had no trouble making their way to Tuesday’s Mike Desper final by way of three double figure wins.  A large part of that success can be attributed to the play of senior point guard Annie McKenna.  While wishfully listed at 5-5 she’s more of an impact player than many other athletes bringing more size to the floor.  The ballhandling and passing skills speak for themselves but it’s their application that will catch your eye.  McKenna understands what’s going on out there and makes good choices both in the halfcourt and in transition.  The touch on her passes is applied “just enough” depending on defenders and their positioning.  She can improve shots and passes off the dribble with an effective use of both a change of speed and direction.  Her own shot looked sound and has the range to command close outs on the catch.  If execution and productivity outweigh other physical factors in your book, McKenna plays a game you’ll enjoy watching.